1. Crust - hard and rigid, the Earth's outermost and thinnest layer. Only a few miles thick in places, but up to 70 miles thick under mountains.
2. Mantle - made up of hot, semi-solid rock. It is the thickest layer of the Earth, extending from the crust down to the outer core.
3. Outer Core - liquid layer made of iron and nickel. It is very hot and moves around, creating Earth's magnetic field.
4. Inner Core - solid ball of iron and nickel at the center of the Earth. It is extremely hot and under immense pressure.
5. Lithosphere - made up of the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle. It is broken into several tectonic plates that move slowly over time.
6. Asthenosphere - part of the upper mantle below the lithosphere. It is soft and plastic-like, allowing the tectonic plates to move on top of it.
7. Mesosphere - the strong, lower part of the mantle. It is located between the asthenosphere and the outer core.
8. Geosphere - includes all the solid parts of the Earth: the crust, mantle, and core.
9. Hydrosphere - includes all the water on Earth: oceans, rivers, lakes, glaciers, groundwater, and water vapor in the atmosphere.
10. Atmosphere - the layer of gases surrounding the Earth. It protects life by absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the surface through heat retention (greenhouse effect), and reducing temperature extremes between day and night.
11. Biosphere - includes all living things on Earth and the environments in which they live. It extends from the deepest ocean trenches to the highest mountains.
12. Tectonic Plates - large pieces of the lithosphere that fit together like a puzzle and move slowly over the asthenosphere. Their movement causes earthquakes, volcanoes, and the formation of mountains.
13. Convection Currents - the circular movement of material within the mantle caused by differences in temperature and density. These currents drive the movement of tectonic plates.
14. Seismic Waves - vibrations that travel through the Earth during an earthquake. They are used by scientists to study the Earth's internal structure.
15. Magnetic Field - the region around the Earth where magnetic forces can be detected. It is generated by the movement of molten iron in the outer core and protects the Earth from harmful solar radiation.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of earth structure worksheet.
